Labourers In Strokestown, Roscommon, Ireland 1820-21 Ireland Genealogy Projects Archives Roscommon Index Miscellaneous Records Copyright Contributed by: James G. Ryan jim.ryan@circa.ie ________________________________________________________ LABOURERS IN STROKESTOWN, ROSCOMMON, IRELAND - 1820-21 The Pakenham - Mahon papers in the National Library of Ireland include a small book entitled 'Wages book of the Pakenham ' Mahon estate' (NLI Ms. 2598). This contains a list of 66 farm and garden workers on the estate in Strokestown, Co. Roscommon in 1821. The book was apparently kept by the foreman, Andrew Golden, and each page is headed 'How employed daily hire' (see above) followed by the list of hired men and boys; the specific tasks undertaken by each on the day; their pay and, at the end, a total of the number of hired men and boys. The tasks vary significantly each day apart from the 3 Mahon boys who are consistently engaged in weeding, and the four who are listed as 'Garden men' who are also uniquely engaged in the garden. Those indicated as 'Reaping oats in Newtown Park' were hired only for this one harvest day and are not regular employees. For the others only one or two sample tasks are listed from a wide variety indicated in the account. Wages per day also varied widely from 3 pence for the 'weeding boys' to 1 shilling and 6 pence for the ploughman Ed. McGovern but note that employment included his horse, which was common. The rate per day for men is 9 pence, which is comparable to that seen in other contemporary sources. Below is the list in alphabetic order. Note that some names occur multiple times in the records but, for convenience, are listed only once below. SURNAME NAME EXAMPLE OF TASKS PERFORMED BOLLAND Patt Cutting sods BOLLAND Peter? Cutting sods BOLLAND James Cutting sods BRANNON Anth. Reaping oats in Newtown Park BRANNON William Garden Men BRANNON Ed. Haymaker BRANNON J. Making hay BRANNON B. Hay men BROWN Thady Reaping oats in Newtown Park BYRNE Michael Hay men CANNON Owen Weeding oats CARLEY Michael Pulling Turnips (boy) CARLEY John Sinking post for gate CARLEY And. Pruning trees in castles CASSIDY Dominick Reaping oats in Newtown Park CLABBY Nicholas Making hay CONNELLY John Reaping oats in Newtown Park CONNOR Owen Weeding oats CONNOR Jas. Weeding oats DUFFY Dominick Grinding malt DUFFY Thomas Garden men FINNY John Reaping oats in Newtown Park FINNY Patt. Haymaker GIBBONS Patt Weeding oats GIBBONS William Haymaker GIBBONS Thomas Weeding Oats GILL And. Garden Men GOLDEN John Preparing parts for Iron Gate GOLDEN And. Foreman H..DG..N? James Cutting sods HAILY Ed. Sinking post for gate HEDGUN Michael Haymaker HENRY John Reaping oats in Newtown Park KELLY Thomas Garden Men KELLY Michael Pulling Turnips (boy) KENNEY James In office yard KENNEY John Drawing sand KENNY Patt Making hay LANNON Michael Garden men LEONARD Patt Attending thatcher MAHON Thomas Weeding boys MAHON James Weeding boys MAHON Steph. In stables MAHON John Weeding boys McDERMOTT Michael Reaping oats in Newtown Park McDERMOTT Miles Reaping oats in Newtown Park McDERMOTT Patt Hay men McDERMOTT W? Garden Men McDERMOTT Bryan Spreading gravel McGOVERN Ed. Ploughing McGOVERN Patt Pulling turnips McGOVERN John Pulling Turnips (boy) McGOVERN Hauling turnips McOWEN? Michael Reaping oats in Newtown Park McOWEN? Thomas Reaping oats in Newtown Park MORRIN Pat Reaping oats in Newtown Park NARY or Narry Ed. Reaping oats in Newtown Park NARY Jas. Reaping oats in Newtown Park NE'EY Peter Haymaker NILAND Tim Making hay NIXON Thomas Weeding oats /Pulling turnips NIXON John Mowing REILLY ? Ed. Thatcher RYAN Thomas Garden men SHAKNESSY William Haymaker SWEENY John Cutting sods TATTON ? Arthur Reaping oats in Newtown Park Additional Comments: It is possible that some of these workers were also tenants on the estate and paid their rent through providing their labour. Such tenants were called cottiers. This estate dates back to 1666 when Captain NICHOLAS MAHON was granted over 2,700 acres in Roscommon. By the 1870s his successors held almost 27,000 acres in county Roscommon. Strokestown Park, the family home, was occupied by the family until 1981. Thanks to philanthropy by a local garage-proprietor, the Westward group, and Government support, it has been transformed into the Strokestown Famine Museum. There are also some interesting and unusual family names within the list including FINNY (not usually found in this area). Among the locally common names are BOLAND, CARLEY, McDERMOTT, DUFFY and CONNOR. This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/irfiles/